Kohli meeting numbs pain for Hameed after unlucky break

Haseeb Hameed admits he was “taken aback” to be told he had to leave the tour of India, but says he used that realisation as an excuse to meet one of his heroes, Virat Kohli

George Dobell in Mumbai08-Dec-20162:00

Archive – ‘What stands out about Hameed is his age’

Haseeb Hameed admits he was “taken aback” to be told he had to leave the tour of India, but says he used that realisation as an excuse to meet one of his heroes, Virat Kohli, at the end of last week’s third Test in Mohali.Hameed, who is now in Mumbai as a spectator having had an operation on a badly broken finger in the UK, said he was “devastated” to learn the severity of the injury and tried to plead with the coaches to let him play on with the use of painkillers.But a dressing-room encounter with Kohli helped to assuage the disappointment of the injury, as he overcame his initial reticence to pick the brains of a player whom he found to be “open, honest and humble”.”I actually took Moeen Ali with me,” Hameed said. “After I found out I was going home, I said as a bit of a joke, let’s see if we can get hold of Virat for a couple of minutes.”He’s probably the most sought-after man in world cricket at the minute. I didn’t want to miss that opportunity. Within a couple of minutes he came out. He was great. He said ‘I’m happy to do that, now or later, whenever you want’. He was very obliging.”I was just trying to get an insight into the way he goes about his business: what he thinks, because that’s what sets him apart from other players in the world.”The look on his face when he walked out and got runs… I could tell straightaway that he means business and then he went on and delivered.
“I was just trying to get into his mind as much as anything, and he was great: very open and honest. A lot of people see him as this aggressive, borderline-arrogant sort of person on the field, but I think it is pure passion and his desire to win that comes out on the field.”Off the field he’s very humble, I found, and very open with me. I was very grateful for that.”Hameed had clearly made an impression on India’s captain, both on debut at Visakhapatnam, where he batted for 50 overs in the second innings to lead England’s rearguard, and then at Mohali, where he came in at No.8 after suffering his injury, and counterattacked bravely to make an unbeaten 59.After adapting his technique to take the pressure off his injured digit, Hameed had been confident of using the downtime between the third and fourth Tests to regain sufficient fitness to complete his maiden series. England’s medical team, however, had other ideas.Taking a bow: Haseeb Hameed impressed during his debut series•Getty Images

“When I was told I had to go home, I was pretty taken aback,” he said. “I didn’t expect it.”The day before my brother said ‘when will you recover from the break?’ and I said before the next Test. The swelling will go down and I’ll be fine because we’ve got an eight-day break.”But then to hear that I had to go home to have surgery… It did hit me. I was pretty devastated at the time.”I tried to persuade the coaches and the doctor to find a way to work around it. I asked if I could just take some painkillers and strap it up and get on with it in the games. But for the long-term benefit, it just felt better for me to get the surgery done. I’m sure that’s the case. Now it’s just a case of getting myself ready for the English season.”Hameed departed safe in the knowledge that he had made a fine impression at the start of his Test career. While he has only played three Tests, the composure he demonstrated – particularly when batting in that second innings at Mohali – suggested that England had found a long-term partner for Alastair Cook, and a talent that could serve them well for years to come.”I was quite determined it wasn’t going to get to me,” he said. “Obviously if you have a break it’s going to be painful, but I just had to put that to one side and give it my best shot and not let that affect me.”That was partly the reason why I had a couple of nets beforehand: to make sure I was ready. I found that, by trying to get my finger on the bat, it was probably causing me more pain and it felt quite restrictive. So I felt it was better to just hold the bat as hard as I could with the three other fingers. The physio actually said that most of the grip strength comes from the little finger, hence why I found it difficult to start off with. But the more I batted, the more I felt comfortable with it. It went all right.”He hopes to be able to start batting again in six or seven weeks. But, while he admits he has “mixed emotions” about watching his new team play without him, he will watch both this game and the final Test of the series in Chennai from the stands with the family who have been with him every step of this tour and long, long before it.”I’m very close to my family,” he said. “They obviously love the game and they’ve watched me since I was a young lad, so it was only fair for them to come out and watch me play.”Making my debut in my dad’s home state [Gujarat]… things fell into place quite nicely. Every time I went out to bat I was more confident and felt more comfortable.”I’m sure there’s something better in store for me out there because of this injury. I’m a big believer in tough times bringing out the best in you.”

Fitch-Holland 'did not ask Vincent to lie'

Andrew Fitch-Holland, the co-defendant in Chris Cairns’ perjury trial, has denied ever asking Lou Vincent to provide a false witness statement and said that the only thing Cairns was guilty of was “not keeping his trousers zipped”

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Nov-2015Andrew Fitch-Holland, the co-defendant in Chris Cairns’ perjury trial, has denied ever asking Lou Vincent to provide a false witness statement and said that the only thing Cairns was guilty of was “not keeping his trousers zipped”.Fitch-Holland, a barrister who previously represented Cairns, is charged with perverting the course of justice over his role in the 2012 libel case against Lalit Modi. The jury at Southwark Crown Court was told last month by former New Zealand international Chris Harris that Fitch-Holland had admitted Cairns was guilty of match-fixing.Although he could not remember the conversation at an exhibition match due to drinking alcohol, Fitch-Holland said he would have been referring to Cairns’ marital situation. Cairns left his wife Carin in 2008 for the woman he is now married to, Mel Cairns.”I would have said the only thing Chris Cairns is guilty of is not keeping his trousers zipped up,” Fitch-Holland told the court.Vincent, a former team-mate of Cairns in the Indian Cricket League (ICL), has given already evidence about his own involvement in match-fixing. This included a recording of Skype conversation in which Fitch-Holland allegedly accepted Cairns’ role, saying: “we all know some of what is being said is clearly true”.However, Fitch-Holland said he have never asked Vincent to lie on Cairns’ behalf and that his statement referred to the activities of other players at the ICL.”At the time of the Skype call, I had no idea that Lou Vincent had ever been involved in match fixing or spot fixing,” he said. “I had no reason to believe he was anything other than an honest, decent chap.”At the time of the Skype call, I had no reason, nor do I now, to believe that Chris Cairns had been involved in match-fixing or spot-fixing.”Fitch-Holland, who was involved with the management of Lashings Cricket Club, met Cairns in 2006 and subsequently advised him on contracts and business deals. He said that Cairns had described rumours that he was involved in fixing during the ICL as “pub talk and bullshit”.He added: “Not a single one of the many cricketers I know has ever suggested to me, by phone or to my face, that Chris Cairns has done anything corrupt.”He also described the moment when Cairns contacted him after Modi, the former IPL chairman, made claims on Twitter about his involvement in corruption.”My mobile phone rang and it was Chris, freaking out, saying ‘You won’t believe this, Modi’s f***ed me. I’m done, He’s tweeted I’m involved in match fixing’,” Fitch-Holland said.Fitch-Holland, who will be cross-examined by the prosecution next week, revealed that he advised Cairns to settle out of court with Modi, to avoid further damage to his reputation. However, the parties had been unable to agree on a sum, with Cairns’ mounting legal costs threatening to bankrupt him, Fitch-Holland said.The trial continues.

Thakor fifty helps turn day around

Shiv Thakor made 75 and Matt Boyce 55 as Leicestershire recovered from 52 for 5 to enjoy the better of the opening day at Grace Road

30-Apr-2013
ScorecardShiv Thakor’s 75 helped Leicestershire recover from 52 for 5•Getty Images

A stand of 125 between Shiv Thakor and Matt Boyce put Leicestershire in the ascendency on day one at Grace Road. The pair made half-centuries to stage a recovery from 52 for 5 before two late wickets as Gloucestershire came out to bat for nine overs made it Leicestershire’s day.Gloucestershire looked like taking control and Benny Howell claimed career-best figures of 5 for 57 as Leicestershire were dismissed for 250. But from where they were in the morning session, Gloucestershire will feel they let an opportunity slip.Thakor and Matt Boyce sparked comeback to claim two batting points. Thakor top scored with 75 and Boyce also made a half-century before veteran Claude Henderson thumped 33 off 30 balls.But it was 24-year-old allrounder Howell made the biggest impact of the
day. Before this match Howell, in his second season with Gloucestershire, had taken only nine first-class wickets with a best return of 2 for 37 against Northamptonshire last season. He had bettered that by lunch, picking up 3 for 17 runs in a superb eight-over spell.The home side were already in difficulties when Howell came on as first change. Michael Thornely was bowled by Will Gidman with the second ball of the day and Niall O’Brien soon followed after edging behind off David Payne.Howell, finding some away swing with his medium pace bowling, then had
Ramnaresh Sarwan caught at gully, trapped Ned Eckersley lbw offering no shot to a ball that straightened before bowling Josh Cobb off an inside edge.With half the side out in the space of 22 overs, Leicestershire were staring down the barrel. But for the second Championship game in succession, Thakor and Boyce dug in to bring some respectability to the batting. They stayed together for 44 overs, Thakor reaching his 50 off 110 balls with seven fours plus an all run five. Boyce went to his half-century off 120 balls with four boundaries.But both fell quickly after tea. Howell had Boyce caught at slip and Thakor was also caught low down by Hamish Marshall cutting at a ball from offspinner Jack Taylor.Howell then picked up his fifth wicket when Jigar Naik edged to slip but
Henderson’s quick-fire 33 brought some valuable late runs.And the day ended well for Leicestershire, with Robbie Williams trapping Chris Dent lbw and Ollie Freckingham having Dan Housego caught behind as
Gloucestershire closed 219 runs behind.

West Indies draw series with 14-run win

Fidel Edwards and Marlon Samuels bowled West Indies to a 14-run victory to draw the Twenty20 series 1-1 in Barbados

The Report by Brydon Coverdale30-Mar-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Dwayne Smith top scored for West Indies with 63•AFP

Fidel Edwards and Marlon Samuels bowled West Indies to a 14-run victory to draw the Twenty20 series 1-1 in Barbados. Dwayne Smith and Johnson Charles started the day with a strong, aggressive opening partnership and despite Australia’s bowlers fighting back to dismiss West Indies for 160, it proved to be sufficient for the hosts as Australia’s batsmen stalled in the chase after David Warner’s quick opening.Too much was left for the final few overs for Australia, who needed 50 from the last five overs and then 19 from the last six balls, bowled by Dwayne Bravo. David Hussey was the only specialist batsmen left at the crease but he couldn’t launch the boundaries required off Bravo, who picked up two wickets in that final over as Australia fell well short of their target.Hussey was caught at deep midwicket for 19 trying to clear the boundary and Clint McKay was bowled next ball by Bravo, who finished with 2 for 27 from his four overs and changed the course of the match by running out Warner with a direct hit from side-on. Warner was hurrying back for a second run when Bravo, who had run in from the midwicket boundary, threw down the stumps at the striker’s end and it was the pivotal moment in the chase.Warner was on 58 from 43 balls and had threatened to steer Australia home, but after he departed Australia lost momentum. Hussey and Matthew Wade managed a couple of sixes but they were barely treading water with the required run-rate at ten an over, and things became even harder when Wade pushed a Samuels full toss straight back to the bowler for 17.Edwards picked up two wickets in the next over, Daniel Christian caught at cover and Brett Lee bowled for a golden duck, and West Indies had become firm favourites with 25 needed from the last 10 balls. It was quite a change from the early stages when Warner was steering Australia towards a strong position, although his opening partner Shane Watson was caught at slip in the first over off Edwards.Warner gradually found his rhythm and pulled Garey Mathurin for six, before lifting Sunil Narine over long-on for another six. George Bailey promoted himself to first drop and showed that he can clear the boundary, with a powerful slog over cow corner off Mathurin. Bailey top-edged a catch to fine leg off Samuels for 24 and Charles, who had dropped a sitter at fine leg before Bailey had scored, breathed a sigh of relief.Michael Hussey pushed a return catch to Samuels for 14 and although Warner kept the runs flowing and even forced the umpires to find a new ball when he pulled Mathurin out of the ground, West Indies kept themselves in the match. Warner’s half-century came from 39 balls but his run-out was a blow from which Australia could not recover, and they were disappointed not to chase down 161 on a fine batting pitch.The Australian bowlers had done well to peg West Indies back after the Charles-Smith opening stand, which took West Indies to 72 for 0 in the seventh over. Charles scored 37 from 21 balls and Smith made 63 from 34 deliveries, his first half-century in a Twenty20 international, but there were few other contributors and Bravo (23 from 24 balls) was the only other man who reached double figures.Charles raced out of the blocks with four, six and four from his first three balls, the six a slashing cut that cleared the point boundary off Lee. Charles was also very strong through the leg side but he was the first man to fall, when he couldn’t quite force Watson over the boundary and was caught at long-off.Kieron Pollard, promoted to No.3, edged behind off Lee for 1 and it was a major blow after his success in the previous game. But Smith, who had already been strong on both sides of the wicket, kept the runs flowing and 20 runs came off a James Pattinson over as Smith deposited him in the stands three times in the over.He started with a monstrous smash over cow corner that landed in the top tier of the Hall and Griffith Stand and followed it with a six that bounced into the windows of the Garfield Sobers Pavilion over long-on. Next ball came the most pure stroke of them all, a lofted drive hit through the line that landed over long-on and brought up his half-century from 30 deliveries.Another six off Xavier Doherty followed in the next over before Smith fell to the left-arm spinner, caught at long-on trying to maintain his tempo. That wicket was the end of West Indies’ blitz, as Bravo moved along at a run a ball and didn’t strike a boundary. McKay’s changes of pace troubled the middle order and the medium-pacers Watson and Christian were disciplined and accurate.Lee picked up two late wickets to finish with 3 for 23 as West Indies were bowled out with two balls to spare, having scored 50 for the loss of seven wickets in ten overs after Smith’s departure. It was quite a collapse, but Smith and Charles had done enough to set up victory, and just like the ODI portion of the tour, the T20s could not produce a winner. Perhaps the Tests can split these two sides.

Hawk-Eye dismisses doubts over Tendulkar lbw

Hawk-Eye Innovations has dismissed doubts over its technology’s accuracy during the semi-final between India and Pakistan when an lbw decision against Sachin Tendulkar was overturned by the referral system

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-2011Hawk-Eye Innovations, the company responsible for the ball-tracking technology used in the DRS during the World Cup, has sought to dismiss doubts over the accuracy of the technology during the semi-final between India and Pakistan when an lbw decision against Sachin Tendulkar was overturned by the referral system. The company has published a detailed report of the Tendulkar referral on its website.”The path Hawk-Eye showed was accurate and the Decision Review System was used correctly to overturn the umpire’s original decision,” Stephen Carter, managing director of Hawk-Eye Innovations told the . “The Hawk-Eye track lines up perfectly with the video of the real ball from release to impact point.”Tendulkar was ruled out lbw by umpire Ian Gould in the 11th over, bowled by Saeed Ajmal when on 23 (he went on to make 85). After much deliberation, Tendulkar asked for a referral and replays showed that the ball, delivered from an angle, pitched outside the line of off stump before turning in to hit his front pad in front of middle. Hawk-Eye suggested that the ball would have gone on to miss leg stump. Ajmal, after the game, expressed bafflement, claiming he had bowled an arm ball that went on straight when it had appeared as though the ball had been an offspinner that spun down after pitching in line.”The commentators said on air that Tendulkar had been ‘caught on the crease’,” Carter said on his website. “From the front-on angle it does look like Tendulkar has been hit when batting in his crease. However, Tendulkar was almost two metres out of his crease when struck.”He also dismissed suggestions that the wrong ball may have been superimposed during the referral. “Theoretically it is possible but in a practical sense you couldn’t superimpose a wrong ball,” he said. “It would not line up perfectly and it would be perfectly obvious to everybody.”

McCullum undecided on wicketkeeping future

Brendon McCullum has said he will take a decision on his playing role with the New Zealand team over the next few months, as he looks to preserve himself for all three formats of the game

Cricinfo staff17-May-2010Brendon McCullum has said he will take a decision on his playing role with the New Zealand team over the next few months, as he looks to preserve himself for all three formats of the game. McCullum, one of the country’s best-ever wicketkeepers, gave up the gloves during the recent ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies and played as a specialist batsman.McCullum first contemplated giving up keeping in limited-overs games back in March, deciding to focus on being a top-order batsman. New Zealand are currently in the USA for two Twenty20s against Sri Lanka and their next major tour is in August when they play a tri-series in Sri Lanka, also involving India. He will skip that tournament to be with his wife for the birth of their child and also get some rest ahead of future tours.”There are a couple of issues in terms of my body, and my back in particular. I don’t want to miss out on playing any games for New Zealand and I have to work out the best way to have longevity in the game,” McCullum told . “That’s something to be decided over the next week in terms of what’s right for the balance of the team and what’s right for my career.”There are three months coming up when I will look at making a decision along with the relevant people at New Zealand Cricket and the selectors.”McCullum has been a destructive opener in limited-overs games. In the last two years, he has scored two centuries and five fifties in one-dayers but his returns in T20s are relatively better, with one century and six fifties. New Zealand’s top order has struggled for consistency, and McCullum intends to focus on adding more stability to it.”The way I see it is that we have a glaringly obvious issue at the top of the order and it would be great to make an impact and try to rectify that,” he said. “If it was to be the case that I wasn’t able to play as a wicketkeeper, it would mean I could spend the required time on my batting.”I know it’d be a challenge. I’m not saying I’d be instantly successful at it but I do enjoy a challenge. I’d be hopeful of being successful.”He also stressed that his commitment to New Zealand is still very strong. “I know my motives are sound, my desire is sound. I have played six years for New Zealand cricket without missing a game now and in terms (of being self serving) I think that’s a little off the mark.”In McCullum’s absence, New Zealand have tried out Peter McGlashan, Reece Young and Gareth Hopkins, who kept during the World Twenty20.

Jaiswal and Gill wrap up series in style for India

The bowlers shared the wickets around and kept Zimbabwe to 152 for 7, before the opening pair made light work of the target

Shashank Kishore13-Jul-2024
Zimbabwe’s most-assured batting effort wasn’t enough to mount a challenge against India’s young IPL stars. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill made light work of a 153-run target, sauntering home in just 15.2 overs in a sensational exhibition of intent-laden batting of the kind we hadn’t seen in the series so far.Where Zimbabwe hit all of 10 fours in their 20 overs, Jaiswal and Gill smashed as many in their first four overs en route a ten-wicket thumping that delivered an unassailable 3-1 lead for India with one more game to play on on Sunday.

India’s fifth-bowlers shine after Zimbabwe’s solid foundation

Zimbabwe had lost at least two wickets in the powerplay in each of the three T20Is in the series before this game. Today, though, Wessly Madhevere and Tadiwanashe Marumani rode their luck to add 63 in 8.4 overs to give them a platform.A determined Wessly Madhevere did the job in the powerplay•Associated Press

In the third over, Marumani was dropped by Shivam Dube at mid-on while on 3. He also benefited from an overthrow that went to the boundary in the same over, and Marumani appeared to change gears after the reprieve by going after debutant Tushar Deshpande, who conceded 21 off his first two overs. Gill quickly turned to spin inside the powerplay and they managed to rein in the scoring; eventually an effort to up the ante against India’s part-time bowlers, who needed to fill the fifth-bowler’s quota, got Marumani.Off Abhishek Sharma’s fourth ball, he looked to pull and ended up hitting it towards the longest part of the boundary where Rinku Singh was waiting at deep midwicket. This allowed Gill to bring on Dube from the other end in a bid to get the fifth-bowler’s quota out of the way, but he too struck – in his first over, he had the other set batter, Madhevere, pulling a short ball to Rinku at deep square leg.Abhishek could have had a second wicket in T20Is, but for Ruturaj Gaikwad shelving a dolly at extra cover to reprieve Brian Bennett. The missed opportunity didn’t cost India much though.

Raza to Zimbabwe’s rescue

Raza needed to rescue Zimbabwe as they had suddenly lost 4 for 33 after the solid opening. Having been guilty of running out Jonathan Campbell, Raza’s industry kept the runs ticking until he flicked the switch with five overs remaining.Tushar Deshpande claimed Sikandar Raza for his first international wicket•Associated Press

On 21 off 17 at that point, he launched Washington Sundar over deep midwicket for a 90-metre six, and then went after Khaleel Ahmed in his next over, hitting a four and a six. Overs 16 and 17 produced 31 as Zimbabwe charged towards 160. That they fell eight short was thanks to two excellent overs from Deshpande, who dismissed Raza for his maiden international wicket, and Khaleel. Zimbabwe had a competitive, if not match-winning, total.

Jaiswal and Gill make merry

India’s chase was kickstarted with Jaiswal hitting three fours off left-arm seamer Richard Ngavara in the first over. Jaiswal was in no mood to stop there, hitting Tendai Chatara for four more fours off his first over, the third of the innings. The seamers kept giving him width and he kept crashing them away through point, alternating between hitting them along the ground and playing the full-blooded cuts. India raised their fifty in just 3.5 overs with Jaiswal contributing 39.Jaiswal got to his half-century off 29 balls, and then unfurled one of the shots of the day when he sent Raza inside-out over extra cover. Having been beaten in flight, he quickly adjusted to loft him through the line and bisect the tiny gap between deep cover and wide long-off.Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill put on 156 runs for the first wicket to finish the job themselves•Associated Press

Gill then took over, helping himself against Faraz Akram’s gentle seam-ups in a exquisite display of hitting-on-the-up. Gill’s second straight half-century, off 35 balls, was mellow in comparison to Jaiswal but effective nonetheless.As the match raced towards the finish line, the only point of interest was if Jaiswal could get the 17 of the 18 remaining runs needed to get to a hundred. He couldn’t; ended up 93 not out, having displayed his full range in an exhilarating display reflecting the type of intent that won India the T20 World Cup last month after 17 years.

Lauren Bell, Charlie Dean run through Stars after batters set up Vipers win

Bell twice on a hat-trick as she and England team-mate claim seven wickets between them

ECB Reporters Network29-Apr-2023Lauren Bell took 4 for 37 as the Southern Vipers routed the South East Stars by 158 runs in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Beckenham.Bell was twice on a hat-trick as she wiped out the Stars’ top order, before Charlie Dean then took 3 for 18 to bowl the hosts out for 129.Earlier Ella McCaughan hit 67 and Maia Bouchier 59 in an opening stand of 117, before Georgia Elwiss came in and made 59 to set a stiff-looking 287 for 6.Alice Davidson-Richards had the best figures of the Stars’ nine bowlers with 2 for 30, but it was a chastening afternoon for the home side after last week’s emphatic 131-run win at the Thunder.The Stars had lost all six of their previous 50-over games with the Vipers, including last September’s Eliminator at Beckenham, but any hopes their opponents might still be reeling from last Saturday’s shock defeat to the Sunrisers were ephemeral.The Vipers chose to bat and took full advantage of both a benign wicket and a sub-optimal display by the Stars with the ball, which included 27 wides. They offered few chances and when they did the hosts couldn’t take them.Bouchier was on 42 when she pulled Alexa Stonehouse to mid-wicket and was dropped, while McCaughan survived a difficult stumping chance off Bryony Smith when on 34.Paige Scholfield finally broke the partnership when she bowled Bouchier, who played on and Scholfield then caught McCaughan off Ryana MacDonald-Gay in the covers.Davidson-Richards was the ninth bowler the Stars used, but she struck in her first over when she had Danni Wyatt caught at backward point by MacDonald-Gay for 22.At that point the Vipers were 170 for 3, which was the closest they came to a wobble. Elwiss and Adams responded with a stand of 76, the latter bringing up the 50 partnership with a six off Tash Farrant.Farrant subsequently had Adams lbw for 31 and Dean made four when she chipped Freya Davies to Phoebe Franklin, before Elwiss hit the penultimate ball of the innings, from Davidson-Richards to Smith on the mid-on boundary.The Stars made a bright start to the chase, racing to 26 without loss, only for Bell to strike twice in as many balls. She hit the top off Alice Capsey’s off stump to bowl her for 18 before getting MacDonald-Gay lbw for a golden duck.Smith flicked the hat-trick ball to square leg for two but was out in Bell’s next over, the victim of a brilliant tumbling catch by Dean at extra-cover for 7.Bell found herself on a hat-trick for the second time in the match when Davidson-Richards edged her to Bouchier in the slips but Kira Chatli blocked her next delivery. It was a short-lived reprieve for Chatli, who was caught by Linsey Smith for 20 off Alice Monaghan.Scholfield and Farrant hung around for a while but the former was bowled by Adams 31 and Dean then began to mop up the tail.The end was nigh when she beat Farrant in the flight for 21, beating her in the flight and bowling her leg stump. She then had Alexa Stonehouse caught by Adams for a duck and Franklin snared by McCaughan for nine and the victory was sealed when Freya Davies holed out to Monaghan and was caught by a diving Adams at long off.

Jason Holder's four-in-four puts seal on West Indies' series

Akeal Hosein takes four wickets as England are derailed in series decider

Andrew Miller30-Jan-2022 West Indies 179 for 4 (Pollard 41) beat England 162 (Vince 55, Holder 5-25, Hosein 4-30) by 17 runs Jason Holder claimed four wickets in four balls in front of an ecstatic home crowd in Barbados, to put a very personal seal on an outstanding series win for West Indies. In a pulsating finale at Bridgetown, Holder built on a career-best haul of 4 for 30 from the left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, to outlast an England team that was once again left to rue its own shortcomings at the death, as they succumbed by 17 runs to lose the series 3-2.England were set 180 for victory, after a two-paced batting display from West Indies, in which Kieron Pollard and Rovman Powell cracked 66 runs from the final four overs to re-ignite an innings that had gone flat during a masterful display of legspin from Adil Rashid.In reply, James Vince set the early tempo with 55 from 35 balls, and Sam Billings applied some precious late impetus with 41 from 28. But after Hosein had undermined England with a wicket in each of his four overs, it was left to the veteran Holder to defend 20 runs in the final over – and despite a first-ball no-ball to ramp up the jeopardy, there was never any doubt once he found his range.First to go was Chris Jordan, who picked up a low full toss with a heave across the line, but picked out the substitute Hayden Walsh Jr on the midwicket rope. Billings, who got himself back on strike as the batters crossed, then launched a similar stroke in a similar direction, as Holder trusted the full length, before Adil Rashid slapped another fifth-stump delivery high into the leg-side, where Odean Smith settled beneath the hat-trick delivery.That was already game, set and series – but even more glory was to come Holder’s way before the celebrations could begin in earnest, as Saqib Mahmood attempted to dig out a full straight ball, and inside-edged on to his leg stump, a deflection so imperceptible that it wasn’t until Nicholas Pooran started pointing in glee at the dislodged bail that Holder realised what he had achieved. As if his haul of 4 for 7 in the first match wasn’t glorious enough, this was quite the way to finish.On the front foot from the outsetAfter winning the toss for the fourth time in the series, Pollard chose to bat for the first time – his logic being that the “virtual final” nature of the contest made runs on the board all the more valuable. And, with the contest taking place on the same pitch where Powell had mown a 51-ball century on Wednesday, it was a chance to show faith in his troops as well.Mahmood was back in England’s team for similar reasons – in the wake of his maltreatment at the death in game two, this was a chance for him to prove his mettle in a high-stakes contest. The initial signs, however, were ominous. Latching on to his residual doubts, Brandon King launched Mahmood’s first ball clean over long-on for a premeditated six, and by the time Kyle Mayers had swivelled into a brace of exquisite pulls, his last two overs in international cricket had gone for an eye-watering 47 runs.And thus the early tone of West Indies’ innings was set. Reece Topley continued his impressive re-entry by conceding 11 runs from two overs, but Mayers – quite the upgrade from the off-colour Shai Hope – laid into Jordan with another brace of Lara-esque pulls through the leg-side, before King dumped a Moeen Ali length ball over long-on for the fourth six of the powerplay, one over after Billings spilled a leg-side stumping catch as he tweaked one through the gate.Rashid causes mid-innings panicSpin is one thing… but legspin is West Indies’ kryptonite. And Rashid has proven to be a particularly debilitating rival down the years. This was his 13th T20I against West Indies – more than he has played against any other nation. He now has 22 wickets against them at an average of 10.95, an economy rate of 5.69, and a strike-rate of 11.5 (more than one every two overs) – and each of those are figures that he hasn’t bettered against anyone else.At the end of the powerplay, West Indies were cooking on 58 for 0. Four balls later, there was panic in the air, as Mayers took on the long boundary with a ragged pull into the wind, and found Jason Roy back-pedalling on the rope for another routinely sensational relay catch – Phil Salt was the beneficiary as he pocketed the lob back into play while jogging round from long-on.Kieron Pollard landed some thumping blows•Getty Images

Romario Shepherd, once again pushed up the order with a licence for carnage, duly obliged by greeting a Liam Livingstone full-toss with a slam over long-on. But before the over was out, he’d been utterly undone by the ball turning out of his arc – beaten on the slog one ball, then skewing a fat outside edge to point the next, and West Indies had slipped to 67 for 2.Pooran attempted to take Rashid down with an airy first-ball flog over long-on, but having failed to connect properly, he then retreated into his shell – as if mindful of not exposing his team-mates to the threat. At the other end, King’s previously sparky innings came to a tame end as Livingstone made it three wickets out of three for the leggies, and it would be seven full overs before West Indies would break the shackles with another boundary. By then, Rashid had signed off for the night by bowling Pooran with a googly for 21 – his figures of 2 for 17 from four overs had applied the emergency break.Powell, Pollard pick up the paceFor that period of West Indies’ mid-innings reticence, their Manhattan chart began to resemble a stumble down a flight of cellar stairs. But as soon as the death overs began, England’s increasingly infamous frailties surged to the fore. Topley, so excellent for so much of this series, was collared on the pull by Powell, whose arrival in the 15th over was eyebrow-raisingly late given his form.Pollard, a sheet-anchor for his first 12 balls, then picked off a full toss in the same over to kick-start his innings, and when Topley’s best ball of the over, a pinpoint leg-stump yorker, was deflected fine through third man for four more, England’s dismal record between overs 16-20 – it’s now more than 11 runs per over since the start of 2021, worse than any other ODI team – was sounding like a stuck record.Jordan has been especially culpable in that regard of late – not least in that pivotal over in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand – and when he missed his mark four times in the space of six balls, Powell and Pollard were primed to cash in (although one of Powell’s sixes in particular, a flat smash through midwicket off an otherwise faultless yorker, was really just a heady confluence of skill and confidence). Another 66 runs had flooded from England’s final four overs, to go with the 67 they had conceded in their second match. After five taxing matches, that’s an issue that they seem no closer to resolving.Akeal is England’s Achilles HeelRoy on strike? How about some left-arm spin? It’s become a pretty transparent ploy from teams the world over, but with good reason, given that Roy was talking in the lead-up to the World Cup about having to banish some “darker thoughts” when faced with that ominous mode of attack.For two balls, it seemed that West Indies had out-thought themselves, as Roy responded with a brace of feisty boundaries – a slotted drive through long-off, and a short-arm thump through the covers. Before the over was out, however, Roy was traipsing off, shaking his head in dismay, after under-edging a slog-sweep into his pad and into Pooran’s gloves as he ran round from behind the stumps.That was the end of his work for the first half of the innings – it was the startling pace of the recalled Smith that dominated the rest of the powerplay, as Tom Banton paid the price for nailing one pull for six by splicing another to Pollard on the edge of the rope, before Moeen was dropped first ball as he steered a snorter to Holder at slip.Holder would eventually atone for that error by ending an unusually laboured stay from Moeen – there was never any danger of a repeat of his four consecutive sixes from game four as he flicked his first ball after drinks into the covers to trudge off for a boundary-less 14 from 19. But given his reputation for taking down spinners, Moeen’s departure was the cue for Hosein to return, and he did so with a devastating triple-whammy.Livingstone was the first of his mid-innings victims – caught at point as his campaign ended with a miscued slap – and though Vince carved consecutive fours to rattle past a 30-ball half-century, his attempted slog-sweep in Hosein’s next over plopped tamely into the hands of deep midwicket. Phil Salt didn’t get past the slog aspect of his dismissal – a rowdy gallop led to him being stumped by a distance for 3 – and as Hosein finished his spell of 4 for 30, England took a sickly scoreline of 124 for 6 into their own death-overs effort.

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